This encounter is EL 5. It is appropriate for a party as low as level 3 and as high as level 6. You can use this encounter any time the player characters are in a city or a village with an upper class store. As they are wandering the streets like the jobless hobos they are, read or paraphrase the following to the players:
So anyway, you are just walking around, going to do whatever it was you were going to do. But, right in front of you, this weird looking furry man with huge feet and studded leather armor takes a quick dash and a jump through the window of a storefront. The unmistakable shatter of glass rings through your ears. Not unexpectedly, it sounds like a ruckus is occurring inside, with fist meeting face, face meeting floor and merchandise going flying. A scream for “help” rings out of the broken storefront and the door, which was wide open, an invitation for customers to use it.
The store can be any kind of upper class antique shop with a floor room whose approximate dimensions are 20 by 30 feet. The floor room should have numerous tables and counters that obstruct movement and provide cover. The average table is three feet high and has a hardness of 5 and 10 hp; a glass display case is about three feet high, has a hardness of 1, and has 1 hp. Other obstacles to include are curtains and racks with draperies, both of which can provide concealment.
A rack or table can be pushed over as a standard action. This can be reduced to a move action with a DC 10 Strength check.
Moving through the cluttered store is difficult to say the least. No charging is possible. Beyond this, the characters must weave between tables, racks and counters, not to mention the stuff on the floor. Movement rates inside the store are halved unless the characters can pass a DC 15 Balance check or can jump over the obstacles. The DCs for these checks vary with distance and height (see the Player’s Handbook).
The tables are filled with expensive antiques. Whenever something valuable breaks, a store clerk should scream out a cry of dismay. If the player characters are reckless, shattering more things than Jeremy seems to be, they might start rooting for him instead and scream the player characters out of the store or point them out if they try to sneak up on Jeremy (see below for statistics and other information describing this NPC).
The player characters should start about 100 feet from the door to the store.
Once the triggering event has happened, the following timeline takes place as long as the player characters do not interfere:
Round 0: Jeremy breaks in and sneak attacks the store’s guard with his unarmed strike, knocking him unconscious. The clerk runs out the front door yelling for help, though not directly to the PCs.
Round 1: Jeremy starts looking through the merchandise, throwing things on the floor. Things go flying, including out the windows. While doing this, Jeremy spills something in front of the doorway that makes walking difficult. A bucket full of beads, beaded jewelry, roped jewelry or the like will suit the purpose.
Round 2: Jeremy bashes a clerk in his search through the goods.
Round 3: Jeremy finds the cash box and begins shoving money into his pouch.
Round 4: Jeremy continues shoving fistfuls of coins into his pouch.
Round 5: Jeremy jumps out the window and begins sprinting away from the crime scene.
Round 10: The town guard shows up (use whatever town guard you normally use in your game).
Most likely, the PCs will do something about this. If they attempt to enter the store through the door after Jeremy has spilled jewelry, they need to make a Balance check at DC 10 as per the normal rules and consequences (see the Player’s Handbook, page 67).
If the player characters try to interrupt Jeremy before he has found the cash box and extracted the cash, he will try to fend them off. If anyone tries to enter the store, Jeremy quickly grabs and flings a ceramic plate Frisbee style at the intruder’s throat. While doing this, he will whip out the one liner, “You’ll never catch the Baroque Bandit!” as the plate shatters against the wall (if it misses) or hits the player character and lands and shatters on the floor.
Should the character in question have the Snatch Arrows feat and ruins his joke, he will launch the witty retort, “Finish setting the table!” He will use his next turn’s action to grab a box of fine crystal wine glasses and toss the contents at the character.
In the ensuing battle, Jeremy will use cover, the mess he is making in the store, and his outstanding Jump and Tumble scores to keep away from the party while throwing things at them. A table of possible items is provided below.
Jeremy’s Improvised Object Table:
Ceramic Plate: ranged weapon—range increment 10 ft., damage 1d3, critical x2, bludgeoning
(He tosses this like a Frisbee)
Medium Vase: one-handed weapon—range increment 10 ft., damage 1d4, critical x2, bludgeoning.
(He tosses this like a basketball)
Big Vase: two-handed weapon—range increment 10 ft., damage 1d6, critical x2, bludgeoning.
(He double-underhand tosses this at the enemy’s legs)
Table Leg: one-handed weapon—range increment 10 ft., damage 1d6, critical x2, bludgeoning.
(He spins this like a handaxe or uses it as a club)
Broken Glass: light weapon—damage 1d3, critical x2, slashing.
(He wields this like a dagger, but it is too poorly shaped to throw)
Big Painting: two-handed weapon—damage 1d4, critical x2, bludgeoning.
(He smashes this over the player character’s head. For possible humorous effect, the painting might get stuck around the character’s neck with his head poking through)
Lamp: two-handed weapon—damage 1d6, critical x2, bludgeoning.
(He swings this like an oversized baseball bat)
Random Antique: ranged weapon—range increment 10 ft., damage 1d3, critical x2, bludgeoning.
(He tosses this like a baseball)
Some random antiques: brown tinted honey jar, brass candleholder, blown glass figurine, statuette of famous hero, particularly heavy holy symbol, black wooden music box, clear glass jewelry box, copper scroll case and ornamental crystal ball.
Special Weapons:
Box of Small Objects: Spreads over two squares, requires characters within its area to make a DC 10 Balance check or fall prone.
Box of Fine Crystal Glasses: grenade-like weapon—range increment 10 ft., deals one point of piercing damage to everyone in a 5 ft. spread, Reflex save DC 11 negates.
Jeremy can also smack the characters with his crowbar.
Jeremy will fight the party for four rounds. If during this time he sees he is making little or no progress and hasn’t yet located the cash box, he will make a run for it. While leaving, he will grab some nice looking pieces and shove them in his pouch.
Resolution: The amount of gratitude the player characters get depends on how fast they take care of Jeremy. The owners will be happier if less merchandise is broken. Use the following table for the party’s reward.
1 round: 500 gp
2 rounds: 300 gp
3 rounds: 200 gp
4 rounds: 100 gp
5 rounds: 30 gp
6 or more rounds: 5 gp
Otherwise, there is no other fallout. If Jeremy gets away, no one is too upset. If the PCs do not intercede, it is just another crime. If the PCs catch Jeremy, the local law enforcement takes him away, never to be seen by the PCs again. If the PCs slay Jeremy, the law enforcement should react to this as it would in your campaign world.
Special Notes for running this encounter: This encounter is designed to be funny, flavorful and it shouldn’t have any long-term effect on your game. To get the most out of it, a few things should be stressed:
Collateral damage
The encounter will be more fun to run if the PCs actually try to save the poor shop owners’ things. Play up the fact that everything in the shop looks expensive and be sure to describe what is thrown and how it breaks. Make them want to save some items from Jeremy’s destruction. Have the merchant’s yelling things like “No, not that, it’s a 3rd century porcelain bedpan!” If the party needs encouragement, up the ante for saving things. Have the merchants yell things like, “I’ll pay handsomely! Just stop it from breaking things!” If the characters think of a creative way to save some items (like using a curtain to catch them) up the reward for them. If the characters just knock over tables covered in breakables, the merchants may view the party in the same light as Jeremy.
Silliness Factor
A Kangaroo Man is robbing an antique shop. Be sure to stress the absurdity of it, as well as the hilarity. Come on! He dropkicked through he window when he could have walked in the door. Stress this fact! Things are constantly falling down, so have some weird effects. Reward silly ideas with funny descriptions. For example, a PC might try to throw an antique dart board like a Frisbee at Jeremy and miss. In response, have Jeremy find the darts and yell, “Bull’s Eye!” as he returns fire.
Action Packed Encounter
Things are flying overhead and underfoot. People are tripping, clerks are screaming, everything is all over the place! Keep the pace fast; keep the one-liners coming! Use quicker speech and accelerated rolling. The scene won’t take long, but the ridiculous drama works better if done rapidly. You can even extend the encounter by a couple of rounds if the PCs are having a difficult time hitting Jeremy and he doesn’t feel threatened or they are spending time saving antiques. In fact, he might start playing to the party, tossing antiques for the simple purpose of watching the PCs try to catch them before they shatter to the ground, with one liners like, “Head’s up!” “Catch!” “Incoming!” “To the Left!” “No, the right!” or “Gee, this looks expensive.”
The Main Man
Jeremy “The Baroque Bandit”
Kangooran male rog 4: CR 5; EL 6; Medium humanoid (kangooran); Hit Dice 4d6+12; 26 hp; Init +5; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares); AC 19, touch 15, flat footed 14; BAB/Grapple: +3/+6; Atk +6 melee (1d3+3, unarmed strike) or +5 melee (1d6+3, crowbar); Full Attack: Unarmed Strike +6 melee (1d3+3, unarmed strike) or +5 melee (1d6+3, crowbar); Space/Reach: 5ft. / 5ft.; SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ evasion, low-light vision, mad hops, super secret pouch, trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL CN; SV Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +2; Abilties Str 17, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 10 Wis 12, Cha 12.
Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, Balance +9, Bluff +8, Escape Artist +12, Jump +24, Listen +5, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +16, Spot +4, Tumble +16; Acrobatic, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Improvised Weapon Fighting, Quick DrawB.
Languages: Common.
Possessions: caltrops, crowbar, good lock, magnifying glass, masterwork studded leather armor, merchant’s scale, potion of cure light wounds, potion of jump.
Topped off with a red Stetson hat, Jeremy stands six feet high. His two, long furry ears peak out on either side of his debonair headgear. The brown leather of his studded armor mostly matches the brown fur of his pear-shaped body. Around his neck, he wears a bandana, tied, with the wide end facing forward. His pointed face appears strangely intelligent or at least bright and alert. The black nose at the end of his snout seems to be constantly sniffing, as if by instinct. Two alluring deep brown eyes peer out, soaking in every last detail of the world around. Sticking out from the back of his metal trimmed armor is a long tube of a tail that drags against the ground. This strangely shaped body is propped up with two thin, yet muscular legs, the feet on which are housed in extremely long red boots, tied with white laces. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about this creature, who looks so much like an animal, is that his hands are covered with red leather gloves and appear to be no different from a human’s.
Evasion (Ex): Jeremy can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a rogue is wearing light armor or no armor. If helpless, Jeremy does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Mad Hops (Ex): Jeremy receives a +10 racial bonus to jump checks. He may make jumps as he is running. He may take ten on any Jump check, even when under stress.
Sneak Attack (Ex): If Jeremy can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from Jeremy’s attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Jeremy’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Jeremy flanks his target. This extra damage is 2d6; should the Jeremy score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, Jeremy can make a sneak attack that deals non-lethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal non-lethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.
Jeremy can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. Jeremy must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach
Super Secret Pouch (Ex): Jeremy has a pouch that can hold items located in his belly. His masterwork studded leather armor is custom built to account for this, allowing him access to it. This pouch can hold 30 lbs. of gear with a maximum volume of 2 square feet.
Trapfinding (Ex): Jeremy can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a non-magical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, Jeremy gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Jeremy can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Notes on Jeremy’s Personality: An up front kind of guy, Jeremy is always witty as he takes his business straight to you. Rather than rely on stealth or subtlety, Jeremy struts wherever he walks and spits wherever he talks. A loner, he believes in the policy, “If I wants it, I takes it. If I don’t likes it, I breaks it.” He envisions himself as a one-man crime spree and is always plotting his next heist. Normally, said plot consists of breaking into a place in broad daylight, taking what he wants and bounding away. Only because he has the invincible feeling of youth does he actually think this is a good life plan. So far, he has used the ridiculousness of his appearance to confuse the town guard into thinking some drunken shopkeepers are trying to play a joke, staging poorly designed crimes to get compensation.
Things You Need to Know:
Kangooran Traits
+2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom
Medium Size
Base Land Speed 30 ft.
Low-Light Vision: Kangarooans can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+2 Racial Bonus on Sleight of Hand and Balance Checks
Mad Hops: Kangarooans receive a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks, and counts as having a running start on all Jump checks, regardless of whether or not they were actually running.. They may take ten on any Jump check, even under stress.
Natural Armor +1
Super Secret Pouch: Located on the belly, this natural container holds up to 30 lbs. of goods.
Bonus Feat: Improved Unarmed Strike. Kangoorans are natural boxers.
Bonus Feat: Quick Draw. Kangoorans have fast and deceptive hands.
Level Adjustment: +2
CR Adjustment: +1
Automatic Languages: Common
Bonus Languages: Elven, Giant, Gnomish, Halfling, Sylvan
Favored Class: Rogue
For lack of a better description, Kangoorans look exactly like oversized kangaroos, except that they are somewhat taller (6 feet on average) and have longer arms with bigger hands and opposable thumbs. They are covered in fur, which ranges from shades of dark grey to tan and all colors between.
If you don’t want to add Kangoorans to your game, then you need no history to them. Simply chalk it up to magical evolution gone wildly right and have them be an extremely rare nomadic race that the PCs will never run into again.
Or, if you’d like a brief history to integrate, read below:
Kangoorans are a species of nomadic humanoids that seek to perfect the arts of jumping and boxing, as both are as natural to them as looting and burning is to orcs. They love the desert, as the barren openness gives them room to jump long distances and great heights, but inevitably they travel through forests, mountains and jungles, seeking obstacles to challenge their leaping prowess. Unfortunately for them, the economy of the world does not support those whose only life wish is to box and jump, so many become thieves to support their passions. Kangoorans travel in packs with a strong sense of kindred with their own kind. They will usually be encountered in pairs or packs of 10-20, never forming larger groups or permanent settlements. While they often go to the city briefly to make some quick cash, they prefer the natural environments and the road. A rare few appreciate the jumping possibilities of the cities and stick around, before getting arrested or run out of town. A few have become cat burglars of legend, leaping through second story windows and shoving any valuable which isn’t nailed down into their pouch.
New Feat:
Improvised Weapon Fighting
Prerequisite: BaB +1
Benefit: The penalty for fighting with an improvised weapon is reduced to –1.
Special: The character counts as proficient with all improvised weapons for the purpose of applying special abilities and feats. This feat provides no benefit to using normal weapons that the character is not proficient with (e.g. exotic weapons without the appropriate feat).
Normal: Characters take a –4 penalty when using an improvised weapon.
Author’s Note: Jeremy does not put the bandana over his face when he robs the store simply because there is no way someone would not be able to identify him. He wears it for bandito purposes only.
